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Zane Grey: Romancing The West
One of the century’s most enduring American writers, Zane Grey left a legacy to our national consciousness that far outstrips the literary contribution of his often predictable plots and recurring themes. How did Grey capture the attention of millions of readers and promote the Western fantasy that continues to occupy many of the world’s leisure hours? This study assesses the Zane Grey phenomenon by examining Grey’s romantic novels in the context of his life and era. Grey, whose roots were in Zanesville, Ohio, was the son of a dentist and practiced dentistry himself in his early adulthood. He threw over that life for one of adventure, traveling throughout the world in search of excitement, a course that ultimately led him to become one of America’s most popular authors. But he also was dogged by depression and inertia that affected his ability and will to work. In Zane Romancing the West , author Stephen J. May traces the career of Grey by analyzing the development of his novels and popularity and the degree to which that shaped his world. The book also investigates Grey’s personal life—from his fling with Hollywood to his passion for deep-sea fishing—illuminating the literature that shaped America’s vision of itself through one of its most enduring and cherished myths.
188 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 1997
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 9, 2015
The major purpose of romance is to realize the desirable.....dreams come true, good triumphs over evil, tragedy is transcended, and an ordered world is illustrated by the central characters riding into a golden sunset. The initiation of the hero is essential, as is a quest, the hero's journey. ~~ Stephen J. May
But real life so rarely fits this tidy little description, does it. And what does a person do if they are missing that feeling of romance in their lives? Write it themselves. At least that is what Zane Grey did. He wanted to be a writer from the time he was 15. And he tried. He had a boy's hideout, a cave in the woods near his Ohio home. He wrote his first ever short story there. But his father, an overly strict, extremely controlling man, found the scribbled pages and tore them up in front of young Zane. Then he proceeded to scold him verbally and beat him for daring to waste time on such foolishness. Add this to a lifetime of abusive behavior, and we can certainly understand why Zane suffered from severe depression and a monstrous lack of self-confidence his entire adult life.
He became a dentist as expected of him, but he also dared to keep writing. And even though each rejection slip for his early efforts cut him as deeply as his father had, Zane kept writing. It was the only way he could deal with his emotional traumas. He had to escape, he hated real life. Writing gave him the control he desired over his world.
May himself admits in the preface that his goal "was not to write a full-scale biography,but to focus on the key periods of Grey's life that shaped his major novels." This book was both sad and triumphant. I felt sorry for Grey, who wanted to be an author of the same caliber as his literary heroes such as Robert Louis Stevenson and James Fenimore Cooper, among others. But according to May, Grey never matured beyond that beaten 15 year old boy; therefore his novels never matured beyond the romance formula which soothed him.
Even so, he became one of the early creators of The Myth Of The West. His books were wildly popular, although they were mostly panned by literary critics. He had financial success from his books and also from the movies that were made from those books. So in many ways the good in his life did indeed triumph over the evil, but could Grey see that? May does not think so:
"Intensely driven, he buried his emotions in travel, writing, fishing, or some tantalizing daydream. Isolation aggravated his blue moods; loneliness gnawed at him constantly......Some carped that Grey's work was not realistic....There were other people, however, the majority, who claimed that if this wasn't how the Old West really was, it certainly was the way it should have been."
I have read many Grey titles in years past. Now I understand both why I enjoyed them and why I grew tired of them. I would like to revisit a few of his titles, especially the ones May analyzes in this book, and see how I react to them now that I know Zane himself a bit better.
But real life so rarely fits this tidy little description, does it. And what does a person do if they are missing that feeling of romance in their lives? Write it themselves. At least that is what Zane Grey did. He wanted to be a writer from the time he was 15. And he tried. He had a boy's hideout, a cave in the woods near his Ohio home. He wrote his first ever short story there. But his father, an overly strict, extremely controlling man, found the scribbled pages and tore them up in front of young Zane. Then he proceeded to scold him verbally and beat him for daring to waste time on such foolishness. Add this to a lifetime of abusive behavior, and we can certainly understand why Zane suffered from severe depression and a monstrous lack of self-confidence his entire adult life.
He became a dentist as expected of him, but he also dared to keep writing. And even though each rejection slip for his early efforts cut him as deeply as his father had, Zane kept writing. It was the only way he could deal with his emotional traumas. He had to escape, he hated real life. Writing gave him the control he desired over his world.
May himself admits in the preface that his goal "was not to write a full-scale biography,but to focus on the key periods of Grey's life that shaped his major novels." This book was both sad and triumphant. I felt sorry for Grey, who wanted to be an author of the same caliber as his literary heroes such as Robert Louis Stevenson and James Fenimore Cooper, among others. But according to May, Grey never matured beyond that beaten 15 year old boy; therefore his novels never matured beyond the romance formula which soothed him.
Even so, he became one of the early creators of The Myth Of The West. His books were wildly popular, although they were mostly panned by literary critics. He had financial success from his books and also from the movies that were made from those books. So in many ways the good in his life did indeed triumph over the evil, but could Grey see that? May does not think so:
"Intensely driven, he buried his emotions in travel, writing, fishing, or some tantalizing daydream. Isolation aggravated his blue moods; loneliness gnawed at him constantly......Some carped that Grey's work was not realistic....There were other people, however, the majority, who claimed that if this wasn't how the Old West really was, it certainly was the way it should have been."
I have read many Grey titles in years past. Now I understand both why I enjoyed them and why I grew tired of them. I would like to revisit a few of his titles, especially the ones May analyzes in this book, and see how I react to them now that I know Zane himself a bit better.
May 8, 2021
This short biography and study of Grey's work focuses on his adherence to his ideas of romance literature. May states that it consists of 3 elements: an idealist optimistic view of the subject, an MC that overcame life's obstacles and pitted himself against a natural landscape, and involved a quest of some kind. Grey's theme was to put this all in the framework of the West, the people and land. He did very somewhat into other locals but the formula was the same. And the formula is what his body of work became. I knew little about the man and his work and found this interesting though not an inspiring read.
June 14, 2018
An interesting study on Zane Grey, focusing a lot on his relationships with his father and those around him. Offers some insight into his travels. Doesn't delve into the novels as much as some other works on Grey but is nonetheless a good resource for those working with Grey and his novels.
September 8, 2024
Short, easy-to-read biography that skips some stuff -- there's one footnote on how Grey traveled with young women not his wife, I believe -- but still manages to offer some interesting tidbits and perspectives on Grey and his works.
March 13, 2018
This is a biography of romantic Western writer Zane Grey. It discusses his life and motivation. Many of his works are briefly discussed. Many of his works are listed in an appendix.
January 2, 2009
Not as in-depth as Frank Gruber's biography but a good starting point for those interested in Grey's career. May does a good job of analyzing Grey's character and books.
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January 26, 2012Zane Grey is the topic of Stephan May’s book Zane Grey: Romancing the West . He provides a brief overview of this beloved author’s life as well as insights to some of his books.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews